The present invention relates to a process for producing orotic acid by fermentation.
Orotic acid is a precursor of pyrimidine compounds which are structural components of nucleic acids, and is useful as a hepatic drug and as a starting material for synthesizing pyrimidine compounds such as uracil, cytosine and thymine.
Heretofore, uracil-requiring mutants of various microorganisms which accumulate orotic acid have been known ["Microbial Production of Nucleic Acid-Related Substances" p.184-191, edited by Association of Amino Acid and Nucleic Acid, Kodansha (1976)].
As to a microorganism belonging to the genus Corynebacterium, a process for producing orotic acid using Corynebacterium glutamicum (formerly designated Micrococcus glutamicus) which requires uracil has been known (Japanese Published Examined Patent Application No. 9950/63).
However, the known processes are still insufficient in efficiency of the production of orotic acid.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a process for producing orotic acid in higher yield and at low cost.